FILE PHOTO – Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks at a news conference on Japan’s response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tokyo, Japan May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan wants to take the lead among Group of Seven nations on issuing a statement about the situation in Hong Kong, where China has imposed a new security law, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday.
“Obviously, we acknowledge the G7 has a mission to lead the global public opinion and Japan wants to take a lead in issuing a statement based on ‘one nation, two systems’ in Hong Kong,” Abe told parliament.
Japan had already issued an statement independently expressing serious concern about Beijing’s move on May 28, the day China passed the law, and called in the Chinese ambassador to convey its view.
Tokyo is in a sensitive situation regarding U.S.-China tensions over Hong Kong, as it plans for a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, originally set for April but postponed over the coronavirus.
Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chris Gallagher and Gerry Doyle
